How do you find your skiing inforkmation... Val d'sere off piste

[wormly81]

Binding options

IAll that said, I'm guessing you don't have the time to sort all this stuff out like I did, and I'm also guessing that you don't want to spend a fortune on new equipment.

Thanks for explaining your system and your experience with it. Undoubtably great information for those adventurous souls out there who realize the best runs arent accessed by a high speed quad .

Since I'm still working my way into a lifetime of sking I have plenty of time to sort all this out and slave away to afford new gear. I was wondering if you have done any technical climbing with your Garmont's? Im definitely going to rent a setup like yours to better understand the advantages and disadvantages as compared to my alpine setup. Thanks again for the direction...

 

[beswift]

drilling

wormly

Im kinda worried about redrilling my skis for these new bindings.

You can drill a ski three times before it is thought that you are weakening it. I worked in a shop and mounted many skiis. Personally, I wouldn't drill new holes in a ski three times, but that was the generally accepted rule. Be careful if you find the holes are close or somewhat co-incidental, too. You can also have nightmares with a foam core ski if you back off a screw and then put it back in the same hole. If you aren't careful you, will strip the threads in the hole and then you have to epoxy the hole with a helicoil in it.

 

[JimG.]

Re: Binding options

I was wondering if you have done any technical climbing with your Garmont's? Im definitely going to rent a setup like yours to better understand the advantages and disadvantages as compared to my alpine setup. Thanks again for the direction...

I'm a hiker/skier and only climb in less than technical places like Tuckerman ravine where you wouldn't need(use) ropes to climb. My step in crampons work great with the Garmonts though, and with the comfort afforded in walk mode I would guess these could be used for more technical climbing in snow/ice. Wouldn't even try them on rock walls though.

 

[beswift]

Gear.

This may be digressing a bit, but I picked an interesting item up last winter at EMS named Stabilicers. I was very scepticle about the Sport version, disparaged them when I first saw them at REI (depressing the salesgirl a bit), but they worked great when I finally wore them. They are a kind of rubber gasket which fits over a boot and have metal studs on the bottom for ice. I originally saw the version with velcro straps and wanted them. However, the stretching rubber works fine. They are lighter than crampons and slip on and off quickly. Back to expensive AT equipment. I've been looking at a pair of leather Tele boots which fit a cable or three pin binding. I used to own a fairly soft leather boot which served me fine for lift-service tele skiing. They are discounting this kind of equipment so I figure I could avoid high costs. When it comes to Tele skiis, my experience with them verified once again that there's a lot of hype in ski sales in general. (I know because I sold about a thousand pairs retail!!!) A skilled skier can handle all sorts of equipment equally well. Long, short, wide, narrow, and shaped, it doesn't matter. When the trend went to short, I mounted a pair of average used RC Elan Slalom skiis with a three pin and had a lot of fun skiing them. If I do go into tele again, I will try and pick up a used or cheap shaped downhill ski. I'm also thinking of mounting my Mother's old wooden skiis again. My point would be

Don't get too wrapped up with your Equipment details.